1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to motor vehicles generally and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a novel blower for removing rain and snow from the exterior surface of windshields on the motor vehicles.
2. Background Art
Motor vehicles having windshields typically employ oscillating elastomeric blade windshield wipers to remove rain and snow from the exterior surface of the windshields of the vehicles. Such blades can be annoying as they move back and forth across the windshield, and often the motion is not rapid enough to satisfactorily remove rain and snow. Snow and ice can accumulate on the blades, requiring the driver of a vehicle to periodically stop and manually clean the blades, which can create a safety hazard on the highway. The ice may also freeze the blades to the windshield when the vehicle is parked. Such blades also tend to smear the windshield, welding road tars and smudges against the glass. Additionally, they tend to grind dirt into the glass, causing scratches. Very perceptible and annoying sounds may emerge from the actuating mechanism as it reverses at the end of each stroke, creating squeaks as the blades cub against the glass. The blades must be changed periodically as the elastomeric material becomes hard, dry and brittle due to aging.
A number of attempts have been made to avoid the use of such conventional elastomeric blades.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,854,758, issued Apr. 19, 1932, to Noble, describes a windshield cleaner which directs hot air from the engine compartment against the exterior surface of a windshield. The hot air is gathered against a collecting deflector in the engine compartment which receives rearwardly flowing air as a result of the vehicle's forward motion. The air escapes through openings formed at the rear edges of the hood wings by the mounting of the device therein and external baffles direct the air against the windshield.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,932,798, issued Oct. 31, 1933, to Millard, describes various embodiments of arrangements for directing hot air at the exterior surface of a windshield, including the use of a blower and the injection of glycerin into the air stream.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,032,998, issued Mar. 3, 1936, to Mickadeit, describes a air-heated windshield in which air flows by convection into a coil wrapped around the exhaust manifold of a vehicle, then flows through control devices, and finally flows through perforated manifolds surrounding the windshield and across the windshield.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,926,396, issued Mar. 1, 1960, to Hess, describes a system for blowing heated air against a windshield in which heated air from a blower in the engine compartment is mixed with an air stream created by the forward motion of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,898, issued Nov. 6, 1973, to Ide, describes a system for blowing hot air across a windshield which includes blowers disposed in ducts behind the vehicle's radiator. The air is ducted to the lower edge of the windshield where it discharges against the windshield through slits.
Various disadvantages of the above devices are poor air flow, poor air distribution, and complexity. All of the above devices have upwardly open air outlets which gather fallen dirt, leaves and other debris.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an exterior windshield surface blower system which provides a high air flow.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such an exterior windshield surface blower system which provides good distribution of air.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide such an exterior windshield surface blower system into which dirt, leaves, and other debris cannot fall.
It is another object of the invention to provide such an exterior windshield surface blower system which is economical to construct and easily installed.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide such an exterior windshield surface blower system which can be furnished as original equipment or can be easily retrofitted to an existing vehicle.
Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or be apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.